


For a Moment

by hanandleiaandscullyandmulder



Category: The X files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 21:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5431370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanandleiaandscullyandmulder/pseuds/hanandleiaandscullyandmulder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Late season 6 MSR. OTP prompt: one putting their ridiculous music on in the car and singing along while the other sits in the passenger seat with their head in their hands (Creds to tumblr, I saw the prompt there and it just kind of evolved.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	For a Moment

Driving through the flat, barren plains of Kansas was not how Dana Scully had pictured spending her Saturday afternoon. Yet, there she was, sitting on the passenger side of a worn 1993 Ford Taurus, next to Mulder, who was spitting sunflower seed shells out the window. She shouldn't have expected anything different, really. The radio was on, but Scully was thinking of how her weekend had been interrupted by the man sitting next to her, and tried not to dwell on the residual feeling of annoyance.

At 5:43 that morning, she had woken up to find Mulder sitting on her bed, two plane tickets and a Manila folder in his hand.

"Better get up, G-Woman, or we might miss our flight," he said in her ear, and reached over to turn the lamp on.

Scully, still half-asleep, mumbled something unintelligible and threw her pillow over her head. 

To her dismay, Mulder then proceeded to jump on her bed, destroying the last dregs of sleep she had tried so desperately to cling to. 

"Mulder! What could be so important for you to come into my apartment and wake me up on the ONE day I can sleep in as long as I want?" Scully threw her covers off and stood up, glaring daggers at her over-enthusiastic partner.

"Cattle mutilations, Scully," he replied in a cheerful voice, holding up her robe. "I'll make you some toast if you want."

She sighed and accepted defeat, crossing the room to where Mulder was waiting with her robe. His hands were soft and warm as he slid the garment over her shoulders, and she fleetingly imagined those hands taking that same robe off instead. 

"Earth to Agent Scully, are you in there?"

"Hm, what?" she stammered. She realized he was waiting for an answer. 

"Oh, the toast...Ummm, yes that would be nice, thank you." 

Silently chiding herself for letting her imagination get the better of her, Scully gathered her things, shunned Mulder to the kitchen, and began to get ready. 

"And Mulder?" She shouted through her closed bedroom door. "Don't forget the peanut butter!"

She was yanked back to the present by the sound of Mulder wrestling with his sunflower seed bag.

Absentmindedly, he reached over and turned up the radio volume, humming along to the various classic rock songs on whatever station they could get reception.

Scully exhaled and glanced out the window, pretending that whatever they passed outside was actually interesting. After what felt like an eternity staring at the endless nothingness beside the car, she turned her gaze to Mulder instead. 

She looked at his fluffy brown hair and resisted the sudden urge to run her fingers through it. She studied the way his thumbs grazed across the steering wheel, the way he lazily drummed his fingers, the way he bounced his restless leg. She watched his jaw as he expertly removed seed from shell, and then his tongue as it flicked the remains out. She saw the unwanted shells fly past the car and tumble onto the deserted highway. 

Suddenly, Mulder's eyes widened and he cranked the radio volume all the way up as the first notes of a new song began to play.

"JEREMIAH WAAAS A BULLFROOOG..."  
Mulder screamed at the top of his lungs, off-key and off-tempo.

Scully stared at him in disbelief, trying (and failing) to keep a huge grin from splitting her face open. 

As he reached the chorus, Mulder grew louder, something Scully had no idea how he could do because he was already at top volume.

"JOOOYY TO THE WOORLD, ALLLL THE BOYS AND GIIRLS. JOOYY TO THE FISHES IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA, JOOOYY TO YOU AND MEE."

He glanced over at Scully, who had her hand over her mouth, and motioned for her to sing along. She fixed him with a hard look and rolled her eyes.

"IF I WERE THE KING OF THE WORLD, TELL YOU WHAT I'D DO..." Mulder began again. 

Before Scully could give herself time to think about what was happening, she decided that a little spontaneous singing session wouldn't kill her. She smirked to herself and gave the song everything she had.

Upon hearing her voice, it was Mulder's turn to stare in disbelief. 

"I'D THROW AWAY THE CARS AND BARS AND THE WARS..." sang Scully with as much volume as she could muster. 

She turned to look Mulder directly in the eyes with a mischievous expression, "...AND MAKE SWEET LOVE TO YOU..." 

Mulder's jaw dropped open. This was the side of Scully he rarely saw, the fun Scully, the carefree Scully, the Scully that he had seen a lot more of recently. 

He joined her for the second chorus, their voices filling the car. He remembered their ordeal with the Moth Men as they continued on, and how she sang him this very song to comfort him. 

"I SAID A STRAIGHT-SHOOTIN' SON OF A GUN..."

Mulder reached over and grabbed her hand. The feeling of their intertwined fingers sent a shock through Scully, and she flashed Mulder a smile.

For a moment there was no conspiracy, no monsters, no danger, no obstacles. He was just Mulder and she was just Scully, plain and simple. 

As the song finished, Scully laid her head on Mulder's shoulder, their hands still connected. 

Against her hair, Mulder whispered the final words, "Joy to you and me."

**Author's Note:**

> Song: Joy To The World - Three Dog Night


End file.
